For What Reason
by TheReflection
Summary: A little piece about a recent spoiler, so don't read if you don't want to know. Lisbon has no idea what Marcus is about to do. But, apparently, Jane knows... - Short sequel now added.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there!

Due to a recent spoiler set out there, I simply couldn't resist writing something about it.

This is only my second fic, so I hope you enjoy. Also, English is not my fist language. If there are any mistakes you can't leave there for the sake of your sanity, please let me know :)

Let me know what you think! Also, maybe you'd like to check out my other fic, "Mutually Exclusive" (which is a lot darker than this) :)

Enjoy

TheReflection

P.S.: I do not own The Mentalist and am not making money from writing fanfiction - there I said it. Hard to believe, I know.

* * *

It was, yet again, one of those days Lisbon dreaded.

She had started dating Marcus Pike four months ago and spent the night at his place the first time around already. She was aware that Jane knew that, of course. Yet he hadn't said a single word about it to her which frustrated her a little. Then again, he hadn't said anything when she knew that Jane knew she'd slept with Mashburn.

Today, Marcus was taking her to the fancy "cloth napkins and all" restaurant again – she had forced herself to like the first time although she would have preferred a simple diner round the corner – and she had had to change into the dress at work again.

Although, this time she had thought of taking her keys with her and not leaving them on her desk, she still dreaded having to walk past the bullpen. She had seen Jane lying on his couch when she'd left for the bathroom and she was certain he suspected she was leaving for a date with Marcus again. And he would ask her about it again if he saw her. Thus, the dreading.

The look he gave her every time when he heard her talking about or speaking with Marcus made her heart clench almost painfully – like a kicked puppy.

Furrowing her brow, she thought that it was his own fault, really, and then rushed to get past the bullpen and out to the elevators.

Just when she thought she had made it through unscathed, Jane emerged from the kitchen, a fresh cup of tea in hand.

"Oh, hey Lisbon," he said, and already had that _look_ on his face.

"Hi, Jane," she said, and hated her voice for pitching that high.

"Out with Marcus, I see," he stated, and he sounded so hollow when he said it that Lisbon could hardly keep herself from grimacing.

How did he dare make her feel pitiful for him?

She saw his eyes wander over the dress she was wearing – emerald green this time, far too expensive in her opinion, but Marcus had bought it for her and urged her to wear it tonight. Apparently, Jane approved of her outfit, but didn't comment this time. Lisbon couldn't help but feel grateful.

She steeled her resolve and smiled. "Yeah."

"Well then, I think you'll have a great time."

That obviously was all he was going to say tonight – albeit she deemed it slightly strange, he'd never said _that_ before, it had always been "_have_ a good time" -, so she smiled again and moved past him.

"I will. Night, Jane."

As soon as she was past him, she let the smile drop and rushed to the elevators. She hurriedly pressed the "down" button and silently cursed the speed at which elevators travelled.

* * *

Marcus met her in front of the restaurant, beaming at her when he saw her.

"Hi, Teresa," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and drawing her closer.

"You look stunning," he whispered in her ear, and she shivered, smiling.

"Thank you," she said in a low, seductive voice, one she had only recently discovered she had.

Marcus kissed her temple, then turned and led her to the restaurant's entrance. They were shown to their table – right in the middle of the restaurant, Lisbon noticed. Not the more secluded booth they'd had the last time.

They sat down, and a waiter presented them with the French menu. Marcus asked him for a bottle of champagne. It made Lisbon frown. Wasn't wine enough? It had certainly served its purpose the last time they'd been here. She pushed that thought away and concentrated on the menu.

When the waiter came back to their table, he had the requested champagne with him and poured Marcus a sample. Marcus took a sip and Lisbon smirked amusedly when he smacked his lips, trying to look like a connoisseur. Had it been Jane, it would have been a _real_ connoisseur. Quickly, she shoved Jane out of her mind, as he always brought the feeling of not-so-faint guilt up in her.

Marcus nodded at the waiter and the man poured them generous glasses. Marcus raised his, and she followed suit. They clinked glasses, smiling at each other, and sipped at their glasses. Well, she sipped while Marcus more or less swallowed half of the glass in one gulp.

"Teresa," he said, "you remember my offer of going to D.C. with me?"

Goddamn hell, shit. He wasn't expecting a decision from her right now, was he? Because she had _no freaking idea_ if she wanted to go to _freaking Washington_ with him.

Nervously, Lisbon licked her lips. "Yes, I do," she said, and noticed she was sounding slightly panicked.

Marcus shot her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, no need to hurry things. This isn't about D.C."

"_This_?" Lisbon asked, her voice still wavering a little.

"Yes," Marcus said meaningfully, and his smile turned somewhat self-conscious and serious, "this."

Then he rose from his seat, walked up to her and took her hands, pulling her gently out of her chair. Lisbon noticed a few people were starting to stare at them.

"Marcus," she hissed, "what are you doing?"

When she stood, her heart hammering in her chest, she had a feeling she hadn't ever really felt _real _dread, because it was tearing her apart internally at the moment.

And that was when Marcus did what she had feared. He got down on one knee.

_Shit._

That was all she was capable of thinking right then. Marcus was still holding her hands and she hoped he would not feel them get sweaty. Her face began to feel hot and she imagined herself getting as red as an overly ripe tomato.

"Teresa, I know that we haven't been together that long, and some people might consider this rushed," Marcus began, and Lisbon had to restrain herself from slapping her forehead.

He really was going to do this.

"But I have the feeling that I would miss a great chance if I let you go, so I simply won't let you go. Don't worry about D.C., the job doesn't matter to me – not as much as you do."

He let go of her hands and reached into his jacket pocket, drawing out a little silk box. He opened it, revealing a silver ring with a bigger diamond flanked by two smaller ones.

"So, I want to ask you: Teresa Lisbon, will you do me the honor and become my beautiful wife?"

Her mouth was as dry as a desert. She imagined her eyes had to be bulging out of their sockets by now and she felt as if the world around her did not think much of staying still instead of swaying from the left to the right, because her sight was beginning to blur a little in front of her.

_The job doesn't matter to me – not as much as you do. _

_You have no idea how much you mean to me._

_I think you'll have a great time._

The bastard. He'd _known_. Jane had _known_ Marcus was going to do this.

Her sight cleared, and she looked down at Marcus, his eyes big and hopeful, shining in the dim lighting and the flickering reflection of burning candles in his eyes. She looked at the ring again, thinking it was really beautiful, imagining it on her left hand.

Then she gulped. Suddenly aware how silent everyone was. The clatter of silverware against plates and the constant low hum of people chatting over their meals had died down.

They were waiting for her answer. She had to make a decision, and quick. Gulping again, she braced herself.

As fast as lightning, she grabbed her purse which she had hung over the back of the chair she'd been sitting on, then turned around and sprinted out of the restaurant, not caring about her jacket at the wardrobe. She dashed through the doors, not paying any attention as they slammed against the wall behind her and quickly pried open the door of her car, started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot onto the street.

She didn't really feel bad about leaving him there, humiliated in the midst of a whole restaurant.

* * *

She had instinctively turned left, in the direction of the FBI Headquarters. The adrenaline in her veins was wearing off already when she arrived, and her knees felt as if they might buckle at any given moment, so she carefully slipped out of her shoes and climbed out of her SUV.

Then she let herself inside the building and took the elevator back to their floor.

Jane was still there when she padded into the bullpen, his eyes closed, his breathing even. But she knew he wasn't sleeping.

Stopping in front of his couch, she put her hands on her hips. When she saw him lying there so peacefully, like a little angel, looking for all the world as if he'd never do anything forbidden, she felt anger push up her adrenaline levels again.

"Jane," she growled.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, arching one eyebrow. "Lisbon, I wouldn't have expected you back this evening. Has something gone wrong with Pike?"

She was at a loss of words when she felt like shouting. "You are a self-absorbed asshole, do you know that?" she said eventually.

"I thought we had established that a long time ago," he said, looking unimpressed.

Lisbon huffed at him. "Yeah, actually we did. But apparently, you don't give a shit about what other people feel, right? You _just_ don't _care_. You don't give a fu-"

"Lisbon, no need for so drastic measures," he interrupted her rant, a smile – albeit sad – gracing his features. "Why have you decided to come back and shout at me for no apparent reason?"

That was what made her explode. "No apparent reason?! I'll give you _no apparent reason_, you freaking idiot!"

She jabbed an accusing finger at him. "You knew Marcus was going to propose."

Jane's smile faltered. "Yes, I did."

If she had been able to, Lisbon would have loved to have laser beams out of her eyes and turn Jane into a pile of dust. "How? How the freaking hell did you know?"

To her surprise, Jane sighed and leaned back against the couch. "He showed me the ring. He asked if I thought you'd like it."

Lisbon felt her jaw fall open.

"Shit," she breathed, turning away from Jane, one hand wandering to her forehead and raking through her hair. "He asked you for _freaking permission_?"

"Well, indirectly, yes. I told him you'd love it, which is the truth."

Lisbon nodded. She could not deny that she had found the ring beautiful. It was nothing flashy. A delicate little something she could easily have worn at work.

"And then, he asked me if he was being too fast about it. I said he wasn't. That you had been waiting for something far too long in your life."

The goddamn self-reference made her want to punch him. Instead, she said: "And you didn't bother to warn me?"

"It would have taken away the surprise."

"You know I hate surprises."

"No, you don't. You love them, if they are done the right way."

Lisbon huffed again. "Well, I certainly didn't love this one."

Jane's head perked up. "Why? Didn't you accept?"

Lisbon sighed exasperatedly and held up her left hand. "Do you see me wearing a goddamn ring?"

In a flash, Jane was off his couch and inspecting her left hand. His skin was warm on hers and as Jane looked her in the eyes, she could not help herself but smile at his flabbergasted expression.

Suddenly, she found herself in a tight embrace, clutched to Jane's chest, one hand at the small of her back, the other in her hair.

"Thank God," he whispered in her ear, and on a whim, she decided to hug him back.

After a moment, she disentangled herself from him.

"I'm heading home now," she said, after just standing there awkwardly for a few seconds.

The huge grin on Jane's face was really ridiculously wide. "Can I come with you?"

Lisbon chuckled, subconsciously – or maybe not so much subconsciously after all - laying on her seductive voice. "What the hell do you take me for? I just broke up with my boyfriend."

Jane shrugged, trying to stay nonchalant. But she'd seen the slight dilation of his pupils there for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe I just know you've been in love with me for years?"

Lisbon let her voice return to normal, and laughed outright.

"Jackass," she said, shoving him slightly in the shoulder. "I'm tired, Jane, really. I haven't had nearly enough alcohol to be able to deal with this all at once. That one sip of champagne before he got down on one knee wasn't sufficient for that."

Jane sighed, but Lisbon still saw the happy glint in his eyes. "Can I at least kiss you?"

She bit her lip, contemplating it. She saw herself sorely tempted, then grinned at Jane mischievously. "Maybe tomorrow," she said.

"You," Jane said pointedly, "are _torture_, woman."

"Don't pretend you haven't done the same to me, Jane," she said.

At once, his expression turned serious. "I won't. I promise."

Lisbon gave him another soft smile. "Good. Goodnight, Jane."

Then she turned around, a lot more satisfied than when she'd left the office for the first time this evening. She went to sleep smiling, thinking about the next day.

* * *

The next morning, when she came into the office, Jane wasn't there yet. She frowned slightly, but settled herself at her desk and began working on some forms that needed to be filled out.

When he strolled in about half an hour after her, he walked straight to her desk, just when she was talking to Fischer.

"Sorry to hear you broke it off with Marcus," he said, keeping his features schooled.

Fischer immediately rounded on Lisbon. "You broke it off?" she asked, surprise lacing her voice.

Lisbon shot Jane a quick glare. "I did."

"When? Why?"

Grinning widely, Jane went to his couch, flopping down on it and watching Lisbon struggle for an answer.

"Uh…yesterday, actually."

Fischer still wasn't satisfied. "_Yes_, but for what reason?"

Biting her lip, Lisbon smiled. "I don't know. He was trying to rush me into things. Guess I didn't like that. Apart from that, I hate French restaurants."

Frowning, Fischer gave her a confused smile and turned around, walking towards the kitchen. The news would soon have made its round. The FBI wasn't as fast as the CBI had been when it came to spreading rumors, but it was getting there.


	2. Chapter 2: Where She Belongs

Hello there!

I actually didn't plan on writing a sequel to "For What Reason". But **Ilovetea **kinda made me...in a nice way ;)

That also gives me the chance to thank my guest reviewers (Guest and Ilovetea).

Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Here you go!

* * *

Her disastrous date with Marcus had been a Tuesday. She was still wondering why he'd picked a weekday when he knew they'd have had to work the next morning. If she'd been to propose to someone, she would have picked Friday so she and her fiancé could spend the whole weekend in bed.

Maybe Marcus had thought that she could wear the ring the next day and show it off to all her colleagues.

Lisbon had not thought about Marcus much the last three days, but she had just been shutting down her computer and gathering her things when she had seen him walk into the bullpen.

Her eyes immediately flickered to the exit at the other end of the bullpen, her mind racing to make a flight plan, but then a warm hand landed on her shoulder.

"Don't be so tense," Jane whispered in her ear, but Lisbon could not help her instinct. She at once felt like a herded animal, crowded between Jane behind her and Marcus in front of her.

Marcus seemed not so happy about the situation himself. His eyes darkened momentarily when they fell on Jane, but then they resumed an expression of uncertainty and nervousness.

Lisbon gulped.

"Hey, Teresa," Marcus said, stopping a few feet away from her.

"Hi, Marcus," Lisbon replied, cursing her voice for pitching so high.

An awkward silence settled over them before she got all of her wits back together. "Um…can I help you with something?"

Marcus looked as if he had momentarily forgotten why he had come in the first place and just remembered it. "Oh, no, actually. I just…er…wanted to give you back this."

He held out his hand, holding a black bundle out to her. She recognized it as her jacket. The one she'd left at the restaurant.

"I just thought maybe you'd want it back after your…departure," he added.

Marcus didn't sound mad or angry, as she maybe had expected him to be. Just utterly deflated.

Lisbon hesitated for a few more seconds. Then she said, without looking at the man: "Jane, why don't you go ahead. I'll be there in a few moments."

Jane didn't say anything for a moment, then she saw him nod out of the corner of her eye. "Sure."

He briskly walked past Marcus and out of the bullpen, not taking the elevators but turning to the door that led to the staircase.

Lisbon turned her attention back to Marcus.

"Thank you," she said, then gave him a slightly tense smile and took her jacket out of his hands, hanging it over her arm.

He remained silent.

Sighing, Lisbon looked away, out through the glass walls of the bullpen and into the darkness of the night.

"I'm sorry for just…leaving you there," she said to the emptiness.

She hadn't felt all to sympathetic the day she'd fled the restaurant, still felt more relieved than guilty, but she thought he at least deserved to hear the words.

To her surprise, he chuckled a little. She turned her eyes back on him; saw the sad smile on his face.

"It certainly served to get me the attention of a good two thirds of the female occupants," he said.

Instead of letting the gravity of the situation get to her, she grinned at him. Still, it lingered in the background.

"I hope it wasn't too humiliating."

"They tended to me very well, don't worry. But I think it annoyed their male companions a little. It's a miracle none of them punched me."

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. "I actually meant what I did."

She bit her lip. "You must be disappointed. I just…I felt cornered."

Rubbing his temple, Marcus sighed and looked at the ground. "Maybe I should have thought it through a little better. But then I think I shouldn't have been too hopeful about a positive answer."

Furrowing her brow, she asked: "Why? You couldn't know I would say –"

She had intended to say _You couldn't know I would say no _but then she reminded herself that she hadn't said anything at all before…leaving.

So she quickly corrected herself, hoping she didn't blush too furiously. "I mean, you couldn't know I would…run."

Smiling at her, he shook his head a little. "No, I couldn't possibly have foreseen _that_ kind of a response. But I should have known we wouldn't work out."

Her confusion cleared a little. "So you knew I am in love with Jane."

"The guilt every time you talked about him was etched in your face, really. I could see how conflicted you felt for starting a relationship with me while he kept looking like a lost puppy mooning over his owner who's just abandoned by the side of the road."

What was it with all the dog metaphors? Jane, the _kicked_ puppy, Jane, the _lost_ puppy, Jane the _abandoned_ puppy -

Lisbon shook that thought from her mind. "And yet you tried."

Ashamedly, Marcus glanced away again. "Yes. Maybe I thought I could make you forget him. Turns out I never stood a chance. I guess what you have is a bond never to be broken. If that's not true love, I don't know what is."

Biting her lip again, she looked Marcus up and down. "Still, I'm sorry. I should probably thank you, though. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am now. With Jane."

Marcus shrugged. "You're welcome, I guess. You belong with him."

She suppressed her smile only with half success. "What are you going to do now?"

"I accepted the job offer at D.C. I'm already packing my things so I can move next week."

Lisbon grinned at him. "Congratulations, really."

She held out her hand. "It was an honor knowing you, Agent Pike."

He accepted her proffered hand and shook it firmly. "Same goes for you, Agent Lisbon."

They grinned at each other, then Marcus took a few steps backward. "Goodbye, Teresa."

"Bye, Marcus."

She watched him leave the bullpen. When he didn't take the elevators down, but instead went up, she waited until his figure was hidden behind the doors, then hurried towards the staircase and rushed down, striding through the entrance hall and the door to the parking lot. Jane was waiting for her leaning against her SUV.

"You took quite some time," he said, greeting her with a smile.

She responded in kind. "No need to be jealous. Marcus is moving to D.C., so he's not a threat anymore."

Jane gave her a mock frown. "_Not anymore? _Was he ever?"

Shaking her head, she laughed. "Maybe for a second, but never a serious one, no."

Suddenly turning serious, she looked at him. "He told me he knew we'd never work out because he _also_ knew I am in love with you."

The radiant smile lighting Jane's face up when he pulled her in for a hug was probably the most beautiful she had ever seen on his face.

"Well," he whispered in her ear, "can't say he isn't perceptive, this Pike guy."


End file.
